Long Lost Treasure
by Puck's Favourite Girl
Summary: He may have been controlled by that damned tuning fork, but he could still hear her. He could still hear her screams..." IKUTOOOO!"


It killed him. The thought that his most valued treasure turned against him. But it hurt more to be conscious to what he was doing with said treasure. He hated it. Hated that cursed violin, but he hated his step-father more. How could he. No, how DARE he. How dare he mess with his violin and infect it with X-egg energy? HOW DARE HE! Angry. He was extremely angry…but he was hurting more. He may be under his stupid, worthless excuse for a step-father, but he could still hear everything they were saying. He could still here Amu's screams from the bottom of the tower. He could still hear her agonized screams from all the way up in this miserable platform. He had cat ears for a reason. " IKUTOOOO!" she screamed.

Over and over and over again until Ikuto wished he could scream or cry or something! Something other than playing this terrible melody and sucking the hopes and dreams of countless innocents. Goddamit. He would rather cry, rather sob and sob than keep on doing this. Traps. There were traps. Amu! His soul screamed and fought against the forceful manipulation of his will but he couldn't win. He couldn't. He was weak, he wasn't strong enough. Dammit. God dammit! AMU! He wanted to clench his eyes shut and squeeze out the proof of his agony, but he couldn't. He could only keep stroking the bow across the strings and wait for his strawberry to find him…just so he could be forced to hurt her. Ikuto screamed a heart-wrenching cry inside. She would never hit back. He knew it. Of course she wouldn't. How could she ever strike back at him? Dammit! He knew he should have stayed away from her. He knew he should have stayed enemies…but she made it so hard. That innocent smile, those naïve eyes, her cool and spicy outer character that always happened to fall around him. He loved her. He really did. And now, now he'd have to hurt her. Unless she hurt him first. Which was about as likely as Tadase growing some balls.

Ikuto's POV

No, I won't let him. I won't let him control me. I won't let him hurt Amu. I won't let myself hurt her. Mustering all the strength I had I dropped my bow. Stopping to play was the most strenuous thing I has ever done in my life. All my strength, all my guts, all my power, everything I had was put into stopping that hateful song. "Ikuto! Why did you stop playing you useless brat!" my step-father's voice rang in the darkness.

No, I will NOT lose! Not to you.

In the end though, I wasn't strong enough to overcome him. Pulling out that stupid tuning fork he struck it and the overwhelming pain shocked my body. Ceasing up my nerves and tensing my muscles. I seized up for a moment before grabbing my bow robotically again. No! I won't! I won't! I won't! But I had to. I couldn't stop. I was destined to be a puppet. A puppet on invisible strings. No…NO!

But I couldn't stop. I was tired. My bones ached and my mind was on overdrive. Everything hurt and it was all I could do to keep playing. I couldn't keep it up much longer. I wavered in my playing and was chastised appropriately. Bastard. I hated him. I hated him so much. I can't do this. I'm going to die here. The thought struck me suddenly. This will be my death bed, whether I like it or not. But one thing I knew, that if it came down to me and Amu I swear I'll jump off this ledge. I won't hurt her, not if I have to survive and live with that knowledge for the rest of my life.

My heart stopped. No! She was here. She was here! Right in front of me and I was hunched back in a fighter's stance. No. I won't hurt her! I won't! But of course, I did. I launched my attack her hating myself the entire time. "Dark Night Storrrrm!" I yelled through gritted teeth.

"Ikuto! Can you hear my voice?" oh Amu, I can hear everything. I just can't do anything about it. Amu stared up at me with frightened eyes as my attack made her lose balance and tumble to the floor unprotected. No! Get up! Get up goddamit. Amu! Yelling furiously on the inside I brought my scythe around and prepared to bring it down on her neck. Amu…I never wanted you to be afraid of me. But here you are, defenseless and here I am the one who's going to kill you. Forcing myself to stop I couldn't stop my arms from flinging the weapon down at her when suddenly, a resistance came. Tadase! Thank God. Thank God. "Ikuto-nii-san. I know you're being controlled but...if you hurt her then…" and something completely unexpected happened. Kiddy King upgraded. "Royal Sword!" a long golden sword appeared under me and I soon found myself in a battle of strength. "Then we must fight!" he yelled.

Standing protectively in front of her he held out his sword bravely. "I will protect her." He looked so serious right then that I couldn't help but feel the slightest bit jealous. I should be the one protecting her, but cruel fate made me the enemy. Damn this world and damn this life. And suddenly, I found myself fighting the little kid with everything I had. Somewhere in the back of my mind I could hear Amu screaming about the fact that we were fighting. And I saw the flash of the Dumpy Key in Yoru's palm and had to marvel at his theft skills. I saw Amu push the two together and I then I felt it. The rush. The freedom. The bliss. The love. And then I knew.

I could feel them, Amu and Tadase, they were in my head. In my memories. Following along my pains and my miseries and the betrayals and the facades. I could see what they saw and hear what they said. I flinched at some parts and smiled at others. But somewhere, deep inside of me, I was glad they could see. Glad that they knew. Glad that I was free. And for those few precious moments I wasn't in the hands of Easter, but in my own. But those few minutes were gone the minute Amu transformed into Amulet Diamond. I attacked her with my new power and was relieved when she blocked it completely. "Shooting Star Power!" she cried with all the passion as she had.

And suddenly, she was on me. Lying flat against me, pressing her body against mine and cuddling her face into my neck. Rich tears poured down her face as she clung to me. I want to hold you. I could hear it. Hear that thought and I smiled. "Ikuto!" she cried my name twice before just hugging me. Sweeter than sugar and more love than I could ever know what to do with. I understand now. And with a poof of power and exuberance I stood proudly next to my own angel. Amulet Fortune and I, Seven Seas Treasure. The treasure that I had just found in my little Amu's heart.


End file.
